More power! Apple’s new MacBook Pro packs some serious grunt, but no fix for sticky keys (yet)

Apple has announced an update to the MacBook Pro line is hitting stores today (July 13), with the Cupertino company claiming its latest machine is “the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made”.

The new notebooks – available in 13 and 15-inch models – will feature Touch Bar, support for up to 32GB of memory, a True Tone display, dynamic stereo speakers, and Thunderbolt 3 for data transfer.

Packing 8th-generation Intel Core processors, the 15-inch model promises to be capable of “up to 70 percent faster performance” with its 6-core processor, while the 13-inch has quad-core “for up to two times faster performance”.

It’s not all good news, however, as while Apple says the new range’s keyboard “features a butterfly mechanism — providing four times more key stability than a traditional scissor mechanism, along with greater comfort”, the company told CNET it “doesn’t include any new engineering or tweaks to address the sticky key issue”.

Complaints the keys get stuck or break far too easily led to three class-action lawsuits against the company in 2018.

“Apple’s butterfly keyboard and MacBook are produced and assembled in such a way that when minimal amounts of dust or debris accumulate under or around a key, keystrokes fail to register,” the plaintiffs complained in a suit filed in May 2018.

Regardless, the company is keen to call the new range “the best notebook for pro users”.

“Now with 8th-generation processors up to 6-core, up to 32GB of system memory, up to 4TB of super fast SSD storage, new True Tone technology in its Retina display and Touch Bar, the Apple T2 chip for enhanced security and a third-generation quieter keyboard packed into its thin and light aluminium design with all-day battery life, it’s the best notebook for pro users.”

15-Inch MacBook Pro highlights

6-core Intel Core i7 and Core i9 processors up to 2.9 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.8 GHz

Up to 32GB of DDR4 memory

Powerful Radeon Pro discrete graphics with 4GB of video memory in every configuration

Up to 4TB of SSD storage2

True Tone display technology

Apple T2 chip

Touch Bar and Touch ID

Starting RRP A$3499

13-Inch MacBook Pro highlights

Quad-core Intel Core i5 and i7 processors up to 2.7 GHz with Turbo Boost up to 4.5 GHz and double the eDRAM

Intel Iris Plus integrated graphics 655 with 128MB of eDRAM

Up to 2TB of SSD storage2

True Tone display technology

Apple T2 chip

Touch Bar and Touch ID

Starting RRP A$2699

About the author

Joe was Junior Vice-President at Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net until it was bought out by Bill Gates. He now subedits for Conversant Media and considers it a step up.